Air conditioning control system



Aug. 22, 1939. c. w. NEssELL.

l AIR CONDITIONING CONTROL SYSTEM Filed June '7, 1937 Clarence WMssell gag Patented Aug. 22, 1939 PATENT OFFICE AIR CONDITIONING CONTROL SYSTEM Clarence W. Nessell, Dayton,r Ohio, assigner to Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application June 7, 1937, Serial No.'146,756

3 Claims.

Awhich necessarily increased the installation costs.

Further; the installation men were not always familiar with the control systems they were installing and it was not unlikely for them to connect up these widely spaced control instrumentalities incorrectly even though specic instructions were issued to them. This invariably caused unsatisfactory operation of the air conditioning system. As is often the case, the control instrumentalities must be adjusted with respect to each other to make the control system operate properly and a great deal of time was expended by the installer or service men in moving from one contral instrumentality to another. These diillculties, as well as many others, not only caused the installation and servicing costs to remain high but also increased the possibility oi errors upon the part of the service or installation men.

It is therefore the prime object of this invention to provide an arrangement for obviating the above diiilculties whereby installation and servicing costs are reduced to a minimum and whereby the chances of error on the part of the installation or service men is also reduced to a minimum much to the beneilt of the air conditioning trade and the ultimate user.

More specically it is an object of the invention to form a unitary control arrangement with all of the control instrumentalities located in a common housing whereby the various control instrumentalities may be assembled and connected to each other correctly at the factory of the control manufacturer. This unitary control arrangement may therefore be mounted adjacent or on the air conditioning apparatus as a unit and the connecting up of the various control instrumentalities with consequent high installation costs and relatively great chances i'or error are obviated.

A further object of this invention is to provide a control unit for an air conditioning apparatus having refrigerating means for cooling ya space wherein the control unit comprises a housing secured to the air conditioning apparatus and including control means responsive to space temperature and control means responsive t'o the condition of the refrigerating apparatus for controlling the operation of the refrigerating appay ratus.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a control unit for an air conditioning apparatus having air circulating means and refrigerating means for conditioning a space wherein the control unit comprises a housing secured to the air conditioning apparatus and including control means responsive to space conditions, control means responsive to the condition of the refrigerating apparatus, manual control means, and overload protection for controlling the operation of the air conditioning apparatus.

Another'object of this invention is to provide a novel control arrangement for providing an improved mode of operation of an air conditioning apparatus.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the accompanying specication, claims and drawing.

For a more thorough understanding of this invention reference is made to the accompanying single sheet of drawing in which,

Figure 1 is a front elevational view partly in section taken substantially along the line I-I of Figure 2 showing an air conditioning apparatus to which the control system of .this invention is applied;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the air conditioning apparatus taken substantially along the line 2 2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the unitary control arrangement of this invention.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 the air conditioning apparatus is shown for purposes of illustration to comprise a cabinet generally designated at I0. The cabinet I0 may be provided with va. return air chamber Il, the return air from a space being admitted to the chamber II by a return air opening I2. Air circulatlngmeans in the form of fans I3 operated by a motor I 4 are located in the return air chamber II for circulating air from the return air chamber II over a coolingcoil I5 into a delivery chamber I6.' 'I'he fans I3 force the air from the delivery chamber I6 through a discharge opening I'l in the space to be conditioned. The cooling coil I5 is shown in this instance to be an evaporator or direct expansion cooling coil.

The cabinet I0 may also be provided with a chamber I9 whichencloses a mechanical refrigerating apparatus. The mechanical refrlgerating apparatus may comprise a condenser 2l and an electric motor operated compressor 2 I. The high pressure side of the compressor 2l is connected by a pipe 22 to the condenser 20. The condenser 28 is in turn connected by a pipe 23 to an expansion valve 24 which in turn is connected to the evaporator I5. The evaporator I5 is connected by a suction pipe 25 to the low pressure side of the compressor 2l. When the compressor 2l is operated, refrigerant is compressed by the compressor and discharged into the condenser 20 whereupon it is liqueed. The liqueed refrigerant ows through the expansion valve 24 into the evaporator i5 to perform a cooling function. 'I'he evaporated refrigerant is withdrawn from the evaporator I5 by the compressor 2l. Such a refrigerating mechanism is old in the art and a. further.

description is not considered necessary.

A partition 21 is located in the chamber I9 and upon this partition 21 is mounted the unitary control arrangement 28. This unitary control arrangement 28 includes all of the control instrumentalities necessary for controlling the operation of the air conditioning apparatus and therefore it may be prefabricated at the factory of the manufacturer by skilled persons thereby preventing errors in the connecting up of the instruments contained therein and also reducing installation costs. As illustrated, the unitary control arrangement 28 is mounted on the air conditioning apparatus i8 so that it is closely related therewith.

Referring now to Figure 3, the unitary control y arrangement generally designated at 28 may comprise a support in the iorm of a housing or casing for mounting and enclosing the various control instrumentalities. These control instrumentalities are shown to comprise a starter or relay 30 for the compressor motor 2l, a temperature controller 3l, a pressure controller 32, a combined manual and overload cut out switch 33, a step-down transformer 34 and a. terminal block 35. 1f desired, the starter or relay 38 may also include an overload cut out switching mechanism. The temperature responsive controller 3l is responsive to the return air temperature and may take the form of the controller illustrated in Patent No. 2,080,836 granted to S. C. Shipley on May 18, 1937. 'I'he pressure controller 32 responds to the low pressure side of the mechanical refrigerating apparatus and to the high pressure side of the mechanical refrigerating apparatus. *nie controller 32 is in all respects similar to the controller 3| but in addition includes the high pressure control arrangement. The terminal board 35 may be utilized to facilitate electrical connecting of the unitary controller 28, the compressor motor 2l, and the fan motor I4. All of these various control instrumentalitles are included in the unitary control arrangement and as pointed out above these control instrumentalities may be mounted and electrically connected together at the factory of the control manufacturer so that a purchaser may purchase a complete control system which is contained in one unitary control arrangement.

I'he temperature responsive controller 3| may comprise a casing 31 to which is secured a bellows assembly 38. The bellows assembly 38 is connected by a capillary tube 39 to a bulb 40 located in the return air chamber I I The bulb 40, the tube 39 and the bellows assembly 38 preferably contain a volatile fluid so that the bellows assembly is actuated in accordance with return air temperature and hence space temperature. The bellows assembly 38 operates a plunger 4I Vassembly 55. Vnected by a pipe 56 to the suction or low presfor operating lever 42 about a pivot 43. Lever 42 is urged in one direction by a tension spring 44 which may be adjusted by a. screw 45, the setting of the 'spring 44 being indicated by a pointer 46. A differential adjusting spring is designated at 41 and this adjusting spring may be adjusted by a screw 48, the amount of adjustment being indicated by a pointer 49. The lever 42 operates an arm 50 which in turn operates a mercury switch 5I yhaving electrodes 52 and 53. Upon an increase in temperature in the'return air chamber II the bellows assembly 38 expands to actuate the lever 42 against the action of the springs 44 and 41 to tilt the mercury switch 5I to cause the mercury contained therein to bridge 15 the electrodes 52 and 53. Upon a decrease in temperature the bellows assembly 38 contracts and the springs 34 and 31 actuate the lever 42 in the opposite direction to oppositely tilt the mercury switch 5I to cause the mercury therein to disengage the electrodes 52 and 53. By suitably adjusting the tension in the spring 44 the temperature setting of the instrument may be varied at will. By suitably adjusting the spring 41, the dierential of operation of the the instrument may be varied at will, a'll as pointed out in the above referred to Shipley patent. Therefore, upon an increase in temperature to a. desired value the electrodes 52 and 53 are bridged and upon a decrease in temperature to a desired lower 30 value, electrodes 52 and 53 are unbridged.

The pressure responsive controller 32 may comprise a casing 54 to which is secured a bellows The bellows assembly 55 is consure pipe 25 of the mechanical refrigerating apparatus. The bellows assembly 55 operates a plunger 51 for rotating a lever 58 about a pivot 59. The lever 58 is urged in one direction by a spring 80 which may be adjusted by a screw 6I, the amount of adjustment being indicated by the pointer 82. The lever 58 is also governed by a differential adjusting spring 63 which may be adjusted by a screw 64, the amount of adjustmentvbeing indicated byv a pointer 65. The lever 58 carries an arm 66 upon which is pivotally mounted a lever 61 by a pivot 68. A strain. release spring 69 holds the lever 61 in a rela.- tively xed position with respect to the arm 66. The lever 51 operates a mercury switch 10 containing electrodes 1I and 12. Since the strain release spring 69 maintains the arm 66 and the lever 61 relatively stationary with respect to each other, an increase in suction pressure, which causes expansion of the bellows assembly 55 causes rotation of the lever 58 against the action of the springs 60 and 63 whereupon the mercury switch 10 is tilted to cause the mercury therein to bridge the electrodes 1I and 12. Upon a decrease in suction pressure the springs 60 and 63 operate the lever 58 in the opposite direction and the mercury switch 10 is tilted to the position shown in the drawing to unbridgethe electrodes 1I and 12. It is apparent therefore that the operation of the controller 32 is identical with the operation of the controller 3I and therefore a further description is not deemed necessary. It follows then that the switch 10 is closed upon a rise in suction pressure to a predetermined value and is opened upon a decrease in suction pressure to a predetermined lower value.

The lever 61 ls provided with an abutment 13 which is adapted to be engaged by a lever 14 pivoted at 15. The lever 141s operated by a plunger 16 which in turn is operated by a belf lows' assembly 11. The bellows assembly v11 is connected by a pipe 18 to the high pressure pipe 22 of the mechanical refrigerating apparatus. Upon a rise in pressure in thehigh pressure side of the mechanical refrigerating apparatus above a, predetermined value the plunger 16 is moved towards the left to rotate the lever 14 in a clockwise direction. The lever 14 thereupon engages the abutment 13 to rotate the lever 51 about its pivot 88 against the action of the strain release spring 59 whereupon the mercury switch 10 is moved to an open position regardless of the value of the pressure in the suction side of the refrigerating apparatus. When the pressure in the high pressure side of the refrigerating apparatus decreases to a normal value the bellows assembly 11 contracts to move the lever 14 out ofengagement with the abutment 13 whereupon the strain release spring 69 restores the position of the switch 10 to that dictated by the low pressure bellows assembly 55. From the above it is seen that the controller 32 responds to suction pressure to open or close the switch 10 depending upon the value of the suction pressure but if the high pressure should become excessive the switch 10 will be opened regardless of the value of the suction pressure'.

'I'he starter or relay generally designated at 30 may comprise an operating coil 19 for attracting an armature 80G which carries a switch arm8|.

When the operating coil 19 is energized the armature 80 is attracted to move Athe switch arm 8| into engagement with stationary contacts 82 and 83. When the operating coil 19 is deenergized the switch arm 8| is moved out of engagement with the contacts 82 and 83 by means of springs, gravity, or other means (not shown). The overload cutout switching mechanism associated with the starter or relay may comprise a bimetalllc element 84 suitably anchored at one end as `at 85 for making or breaking contacts 88. The bimetaliic element 84 may be heated by a heater 81. If the current ilow through the heater becomes excessive bimetaliic element 84 is warped to separate the contacts 88. If desired the overload cut out switching mechanism may be provided with suitable latch means, not shown, so that the contacts 88 may only be manually reclosed following the existence of an overload condition. Such a construction is old in the art and therefore not illustrated. 'I'he starter or, relay 30 may be providedwith terminals 88, 89, 90 and 9|.

The combined manual and overload cut out switching mechanism generally designated at 33 may comprise a bimetaliic element 93, one end of which is rigidly secured to a bracket 94. The other end of the bimetaliic element 93 is adapted to make and break contacts 95. The bimetaliic element 93 may be heated by a heater 98 and when the current iiow through the heater 98 becomes excessive the bimetaliic element 93 warps to separate the contacts 95. A manual operating means 91 is also provided for manually separating and making the contacts 95. Therefore the switching mechanism 33 is operated by overload conditions and is also manually operated. Suitable latch means, not shown, may be provided. 'Ihe switching mechanism 33 is provided with connecting terminals 98 and 88.

Step-down transformer 34 comprises a primary |88 connected to terminals |8| and |02 and a secondary |03 connected to terminals |04 and |85. 'Ihe terminal block 35 includes terminals |81, |88, |08, III, and ||2 to provide means for connecting electrically the unitary control arrangement 28 to the compressor motor 2| and the fan motor I4. Line wires leading from some source of power (not shown) are designated at ||4 and ||5 and these wires are connected to the terminal posts |01 and |08. Since the terminal posts |01 and |08 are connected to the terminals and |02 of the step-down transformer 34 the transformer 34 is at all times energized.

Assume now that the contacts 95 of the combined overload and manual switch 33 are closed, a circuit is completed from terminal |04 of the secondary |03 of the step-down transformer 34 through terminal 98, heater 96, contacts 95, terminal 99. terminal ||2, fan motor |4 and terminal back to terminal |05 of the secondary |03. The fan motor is thereupon placed in operation and remainsin operation until such time as the contacts 95 are either manually separated within the fan circuit.

Assume that the temperature responsive controller 3| is adjusted to close the switch 5| when the space temperature rises to '75 and to open the switch 5| when the space temperature decreases to 73. Assume also that -the pressure responsive controller 32 is so adjusted that the switch is closed when the 4low pressure rises to 30 pounds and opens when the lo`w pressure decreases to 10 pounds. For purposes of illustration it is also assumed that the high pressure will open the switch 10 when it rises to 180 pounds and will permit closing of the switch when it decreases to 160 pounds. When the space temperature rises to 75 and the suction pressure rises to 30 pounds the switches 5| and 10 which are located in series are closed to complete a circuit from the terminal |04 of the transformer 34 through terminal 98, heater 96, contacts 95. terminal 99, electrodes 52 and 53, electrodes 12 and 1|, terminal 89, bimetaliic element 84, contacts 88, operating coil 19 and terminal 88 back to the terminal |05 of the transformer 34. Completion of this circuit energizes the operating coil 19 of the relay 30 to cause the switch arm 8| Vto bridge contacts 82 and 83 which completes a circuit from the line wire ||4 through terminal post |01, terminal 90, heater 81, contact 83, switchA arm 8|, contact 82, terminal 9|, terminal post H0, compressor motor 2| and terminal posts |09 and |08 back to the other line wire ||5.

The compressor motor 2| is thereupon placed in operation to 'cool the air delivered to the space. When the space temperature decreases to 73, the switch 5| is openedto drop out the relay or starter 30 to stop operation of the compressor motor 2|. Likewise if the suction. pressure decreases to l0 pounds or the high pressure increases to 180 pounds the switch 10 is opened to drop out the relay or starter 30 to stop operation of the compressor motor 2|. `If an` overload condition should exist within the compressor motor circuit the contacts 86 of the overload cut out switching mechanism will be separated to break the circuit through the operating coil 19 to stop operation of the compressor 2| Likewise if an overload condition should occur in the fan circuit to stop operation of the fan or if an overload condition should occur in the control circuit of the operating coil 19 the contacts 95 will separate and cause deenergization of the operating vor separated by an overload condition existing At this point it will be noted that the contacts ot the combined manual and overload cut out 26 mechanism 33 are included in both the fan circuit and the relay or starter control circuit so that if the contacts 95 are opened manually to stop operation of the fan I t, the relay or starter 30 cannot be energized and therefore the compressor motor '2l cannot be placed in operation. In other words, the switching mechanism 33 controls both the operation of the fan I4 and the 'compressor 2| and therefore the compressor 2| cannot be placed in operation unless the fan I4 is operating.

The temperature responsive controller 3l operates as the primary controller to maintain the space temperature between 73 and 75 and the pressure responsive controller operates as a secondary or safety controller to prevent operation of the refrigerating apparatus in case the high pressure becomes excessive or in case the low pressure becomes too low. If either of these con-` ditions occur the refrigerating apparatus is shut down regardless of whether the temperature responsive controller 3l is calling for cooling. If the refrigerating apparatus is shut down by the opening of the switch I upon a decreasein the suction pressure to 10 pounds the refrigerating apparatus cannot again be placed in operation until such time as the suction pressure rises to 30 pounds and if this 30 pound value or the cut-in point is so selected that it is above the freezing point, it will be apparent that defrosting of the cooling coil I5 will occur before the refrigerating apparatus may again be placed in operation. This periodic or intermittent defrosting of the refrigerating apparatus under these circumstances is extremely benecial. y

From the above it is seen that the control system of this invention provides a control arrangement wherein the space temperature ismaintained within predetermined limits, wherein the refrigerating apparatus is safe guarded with respect to high pressures on the high pressure side and low pressures on the low pressure side, wherein overload protection for the compressor motor is provided, wherein intermittent or periodic defrosting is provided, wherein overload protection for the fan circuit is provided, and wherein the control circuit and the fan circuit may be operated by a v common switching mechanism so that it is impossible to operate the refrigerating apparatus unless the air circulating means is operated. All of the control instrumentalities which perform the above relatively complex sequence of control are located in a common unitary control mechanism which may be prefabricated at the factory of the control manufacturer and may be applied to the air conditioning apparatus as a unit with consequent reduction in installation costs and reduction in the possibility of errors in hooking up the control equipment with the airv conditioning apparatus. As pointed out above, this feature is of practical importance and benefits greatly the air conditioning trade as well as the ultimate user.

Although for purposes of illustration one form of this invention has been disclosed, other forms thereof may become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to this specification and therefore this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims and prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an air conditioning system, the combination of an air conditioning apparatus including an electrically operated refrigerating apparatus for cooling air and an electrically operatedair circulating means for discharging cooled air into a space, control means responsive to the temperalmas@ l ature of the air of the space, control means responsive to pressure conditions produced in the refrigerating apparatus, switching means operated by said control means, a starter for the refrigerating apparatus including load contacts for completing a circuit to the refrigerating apparatus and an operating coil, a control circuit for the operating coil of the starter including the switching means of the control means for controlling the operation of the refrigerating apparatus, an overload cut out switching mechanism including switching means included in the control circuit and thermal means in the circuit to the refrigerating apparatus for providing overload protection, a manually operated control means including switching means, a control circuit for the electrically operated air circulating means including the switching means of the manually operated control means for controlling the operation of the air circulating means, and a common mounting structure for all of the control means, the overload cut out switching mechanism and the starter whereby the control of the air conditioning apparatus is centralized at one point.

2. In an air conditioning system,the combination of an air conditioning apparatus including an electrically operated refrigerating apparatus for cooling air and an electrically operated air circulating means for discharging cooled air into a space, control means responsive to the temperature of the air in the space, control means responsive to pressure conditions produced in the refrigerating apparatus, switching means operated by said control means, a starter for the refrigerating apparatus including load contacts for completing a circuit to thew refrigerating apparatus and an operating coil, a control circuit for the operating coil of the starter including the switching means for controlling the voperation of the starter and hence of the refrigerating apparatus, an overload cut-out switching mechanism including switching means in the control circuit and thermal means in the circuit to the refrigerating apparatus for providing overload protection, manually operated switching means, a control circuit for the electrically operated air circulating means including the manually operated switching means for controlling the operation of the air circulating means, said manually operated switching means being also included in said control circuit for the operating coil of the starter whereby the manually operated switching means controls the operation of both the refrigerating apparatus and the air circulating means.

3. In an air conditioning system, the combination of an air conditioning apparatus including an electrically operated refrigerating ap-V paratus for cooling air and an electrically operated air circulating means for discharging cooled air into a space, control means responsive to the temperature of the air in the space, control means responsive to pressure conditions produced in the refrigerating apparatus, switching means operated by said control means, a starter for the refrigerating apparatus including load contacts for completing a circuit to the refrigerating apparatus and an operating coil, a control circuit for the operating coil of the starter including the switching means for controlling the operation of the starter and hence of the refrigerating apparatus, an overload cut-out switching mechanism including switching means in the control circuit and thermal means in the circuit to the refrigerating apparatus for providing overload protection, a control circuit for the electrically operated air circulating means, and a combined overload cut-out and manual switching mechanism including thermal means and switching means in the control circuit for the electrically operated air circulating means for controlling the operation of the air circulating means, the

switching means of the combined overload cutout and manual switching mechanism being also included in said control circuit for the operating coil of the starter whereby the combined overload cut-out and manual switching mechanism controls the operation of both the refrigerating apparatus and the air circulating means.

I CLARENCE W. NESSELL. 

